The Most Vicious Ad Of The 2012 Campaign Blames Mitt Romney For The Death Of A Steel Worker's Wife

The pro-Barack Obama super PAC Priorities USA unleashed what might be the most vicious ad of the 2012 campaign cycle this morning, an ad that personally points some blame toward presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney for the death of a steel worker's wife.

"Understands" features Joe Soptic, who was laid off from the plant and lost health benefits. The ad says that he later found part-time work, but his wife developed a stage-four cancer (not specified further) and "there was nothing they could do."

Here's the script:

When Mitt Romney and Bain closed the plant, I lost my healthcare, and my family lost their healthcare. And a short time after that my wife became ill.

I don't know how long she was sick and I think maybe she didn't say anything because she knew that we couldn't afford the insurance, and then one day she became ill and I took her up to the Jackson County Hospital and admitted her for pneumonia and that's when they found the cancer and by then it was stage four. It was, there was nothing they could do for her.

And she passed away in 22 days.

I do not think Mitt Romney realizes what he's done to anyone, and furthermore I do not think Mitt Romney is concerned.

UPDATE: When asked for comment, the Romney campaign didn't directly address the ad or its contents, instead going with a pretty standard response that the ad is a diversion and "dishonest." Here's the statement from spokesman Ryan Williams:

"President Obama's allies continue to use discredited and dishonest attacks in a contemptible effort to conceal the administration's deplorable economic record. After 42 months of unemployment above 8 percent, it is clear that the President and his campaign do not have a rationale for reelection. He focused on health care instead of the economy, he hasn't been able to pass a budget through Congress, he hasn't been able to cut the deficit like he promised and he's done little to change the way Washington works. Mitt Romney has a Plan for a Stronger Middle Class that will jumpstart the economy and bring back millions of jobs."